President Joe Biden is gearing up for his first presidential debate with former President Donald Trump, which is just a week away. To prepare for this crucial event, he will be heading to Camp David on Thursday.
Biden is planning to take advantage of the secluded setting of the famous rustic retreat in the Maryland mountains before heading to the June 27 debate hosted by CNN in Atlanta. This retreat has been known to host many debate boot camps during election years, and Biden hopes to make the most of this opportunity.
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CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash will be moderating the debate, which will last for about 90 minutes and include two commercial breaks. The candidates are scheduled to have two debates, with the second one being hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10.
As the election cycle heats up, the first real showdown between the two candidates is on the horizon. This face-off could have a significant impact on the narrative for both contenders, and they are each looking to win over undecided voters in what promises to be a closely contested race.
According to the campaign, Biden is getting ready to confront Trump on the debate stage and hold him accountable for his statements and track record on various issues, ranging from reproductive rights to the economy. This includes Trump’s remark about becoming a dictator on “day one.”
According to sources familiar with the Biden team’s planning, while Biden is getting ready for any scenario, some of his advisors believe that Trump will exhibit a more controlled version of himself during the debate. Additionally, these sources also speculate that Trump might be putting in more preparation than he is revealing.
Officials have revealed that unlike in 2020, when Biden had ample time for debate preparation as a presidential candidate, his duties as president in 2024 will leave him with limited time for such preparation. Thus, most of his debate preparation will be confined to the days leading up to the debate.
In the past few weeks, Biden has been extremely busy with numerous engagements, including two foreign trips and hosting two significant fundraisers. All of this occurred while he was also dealing with the emotional aftermath of his son, Hunter Biden’s, conviction on felony gun charges.
A campaign official has stated that the preparations for the debate are being led by Ron Klain, who is Biden’s former chief of staff. Cedric Richmond, a former White House aide and current campaign co-chair, along with other senior campaign aides and longtime advisers will also be present.
Ron Klain has extensive experience in leading debate preparations for political figures. He has assisted Joe Biden in his 2020 debate prep, as well as led the preparation efforts for Hillary Clinton in 2016, Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, and John Kerry in 2004. This upcoming role is not Klain’s first time in a leading position.
During an interview with NBC News in 2020, Biden revealed that his debate preparation strategy involved analyzing Trump’s past statements and lies. As he prepares for upcoming debates this year against the same opponent, it is likely that he will employ a similar approach.
As he prepares to take on the presidency, Biden’s focus is to hold Trump accountable not just for his administration’s performance, but also for his controversial remarks during the campaign. Biden’s team is scrutinizing Trump’s statements on a variety of topics, including reproductive rights, the economy, political unrest, and alleged attempts to undermine the judiciary. The goal is to ensure that Trump is held responsible for his actions and words.
According to campaign officials, he is set to maintain his recent trend of making sharper and more direct criticisms towards the former president. These “punchier” remarks are expected to continue in his future speeches.
In recent times, Biden has been poking fun at Trump’s suggestion of using disinfectants to treat coronavirus, albeit in a half-joking manner.
During the National Legislative Conference for North America’s Building Trades Unions in April, Biden reminisced about a previous statement made by Trump during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Remember when he was trying to deal with COVID, he said just inject a little bleach in your veins,” Biden recalled. He then added a humorous remark, saying that Trump must have missed the mark as the bleach seemingly ended up in his hair.
During a recent fundraising event in Los Angeles with former President Obama, moderator Jimmy Kimmel asked President Biden if his recent visit to Italy, which included meeting with the Pope, was an attempt to “restore the soul of America” due to the country’s apparent need for an “exorcism.” In response, Biden playfully replied with a simple “yeah.”
The narrative promoted by Trump and his campaign is that Biden is currently experiencing a “cognitive decline.” They have latched onto a video from his visit to France to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, which they have falsely claimed depicts the president “freezing.”
Assuming he is elected and serves two terms, Biden would be 86 years old by the end of his presidency, making him the oldest president to ever hold office.
According to the polling average of 538, his poll numbers indicate a close race with Trump in crucial battleground states, and he needs to deliver a strong performance to alleviate any uncertainties among voters.
Leading up to the debate, the Biden campaign has been emphasizing Trump’s 34 felony convictions in his New York hush-money trial. Through a new ad as part of their $50 million June paid media campaign, they’ve labeled this year’s election as a choice between a “convicted criminal” and a “president who’s fighting for your family.”
